Earlier this week the Arkansas Pharmacists Association released a statement in opposition to the two so-called “medical” marijuana proposals, Issues 6 and 7. You can read their press release below.
October 17, 2016 – The Arkansas Pharmacists Association, a professional organization that represents the pharmacists of Arkansas, announces its opposition to Issues 6 & 7 on the upcoming November ballot. Both Issues seek to legalize “medical marijuana.”
“Both Issues 6 and 7 seek to create a framework for accessing marijuana for medical reasons that eliminates the current healthcare system of obtaining a prescription from a prescriber and having a medication dispensed by a pharmacist,” said Scott Pace, Pharm.D., J.D., Executive Vice President & CEO of the Arkansas Pharmacists Association.
“Pharmacists are compassionate healthcare providers who want what is in the best healthcare interest of their patients. However, the proposed framework of both Issues 6 and 7 bypasses healthcare providers to allow a patient to obtain a “medication” from non-medically trained individuals. Purity, dosage and safety of the drug would be unknown to both the patient and their healthcare team, creating the potential for drug interactions, adverse effects, and other harmful outcomes to patients, creating a prescription for disaster,” Pace said.
“The APA wants patients to have access to the best possible medical care in Arkansas. But, this care has to be safe and provide access to highly-trained healthcare providers at every point in their care. Issues 6 and 7 fails on both of these points. The APA urges Arkansans to vote no on Issues 6 and 7 on November 8th.”
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The Arkansas Pharmacists Association, founded in 1882, is the statewide professional association representing approximately 2,200 pharmacists in Arkansas. APA strives to further the professional advancement of pharmacists, advocate the value of pharmacy, and safeguard the health and well-being of every Arkansan. Its mission is to advance a professional and business environment for Arkansas pharmacists to be successful and fulfilled in serving patients.
